Clothes-washing machine



Nov. 4, 1947. F. v. CHENEY 30,

CLOTHES WASHING MACHINE v I Filed on. as, 1944 s Sheets-Sheet 1 j'v nkinv Chenq Nov. 4, 1947. F. v. CHENEY 2,430,211

CLOTHES WASHING MACHINE Filed Oct. 28, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 J M m 1 6 1 E M J W 3 $7 f QbIm W 0 a I I T *H l l Emklc'n V Cheney,

Nov. 4, 1947. F. v. CHENEY 3 CLOTHES WASHING MACHINE Filed Oct. 28, 1944 :5 Sheets-Shed s a 'illiw 31 l i l Z. I ig- .91" J 45 42 .91

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Patented or. 4. i947 2.430.211 GLOTHES-WASG MACHINE Application Dctober 28, 1944, Serial No. 560,827

6 Claims. 1

This invention has to do with washing machines of the pulsator type.

That type of machine is characterized by a reciprocating pulsing member, usually arranged for vertical reciprocation, disposed in a tub or container in which the washing or cleansing fluid and the articles to be treated are placed. Under the action of the reciprocating pulsing member laterally moving currents are set up on both the up and down stroke of the pulsator, which currents travel outwardly from the pulsator toward the wall of the tub.

The currents set up by the pulsator must, if it is to be eiiective in its cleansing action, have considerable force, and as a result they strike the wall of the tub at relatively high speed. The striking force will depend on the speed of reciprocation of the pulsator. This is usually relatively high. When the current strikes the tub wall, regardless of its speed, its tendency is to surge back in surf-like or whirlpool formation around the entire circumference of the tub. Such formation, unless neutralized, tends to mass and entangle the clothes into a roll, and interferes with cleansing of individual pieces; their separation and circulation through the fluid in the tub, and their return to the agitating zone adjacent the pulsator.

This serious defect in washing machines of the pulsator type is rectified by utilizing the mechanism hereinafter described in detail. Broadly stated, the prevention of the whirlpool or eddy formation caused by the back surge of the laterally moving currents from the wall of the tub, is accomplished by producing secondary counter= acting or neutralizing currents brought about by an independent movement of the pulsator in an oscillatory path, which will meet and break up the return surge of the first named currents. These secondary currents, as here shown, may be conveniently produced by the same pulsing member that imparts the primary currents to the fluid. This is, effected by causing the pulsator to rotate in a horizontal plane during its vertical re-= ciprocation, this rotary movement being preferably, as herein shown and described, an oscillating rotary movement so as to impart to the secondary laterally moving currents a succession of oppo sitely acting impulses as the pulsator alternates its direction of oscillation. These secondary currents not only have a generally lateral movement, but also, by reason of the reversing oscillations, will take on an alternating wave-like action as they move toward the tub wall.

It has been demonstrated by actual tests that this mechanism accomplishes the following new and useful results.

The roll-back or whirlpool surge from the tub wall, which occurs when the primary currents Ill strike it, caused by the up and down movements of the pulsator, is broken up and dissipated by the secondary currents caused by the rotary oscillation of the pulsator.

The two currents combine effectively to separate, agitate, and wash the clothes, which agitation and washing is more certainly brought about by reason of the fact that in the active zone of the pulsator the fluid and the clothes are subjected to inward and outward impulses in the twozone area. of action of the pulsator as it rises and falls. This results in a decided scrubbing and squeezing action of the articles in the fluid and also a positive forcing of the cleansing fluid through and about the articles.

It has been found further that the currents, primary and secondary, when they meet and combine, produce an irregular movement of the fluid and articles upwardly in the tub, as distinguished from a substantially straight line movement. This waving irregular action of the fluid and clothes is effective not only to further cleanse the articles, but also, it has been found, the articles of clothing will be efiectively separated from one another and the individual pieces returned from different levels to the active zones of the pulsator, as distinguished from the action of those machines in which the clothes and the fluid move in a substantially straight line upwardly in the tub adjacent its vertical wall, and then return along a substantially straight inwardly disposed downward path.

The mechanisms by which these general objects are carried out will now be described in detail, reference being made to the drawings herewith as a part of this disclosure, in which drawings:

Figure 1 is a sectional view of a tub or container with the operative parts mounted therein.

Fi ure 2 i n enlarged view showing the tub base, pulsator supporting post, the pulsator and the operating mechanism therefor.

Figure 3 is a detail showing the pulsator in its upper position of oscillation.

Figure 41 is a similar view showing the pulsator in its lower position of oscillation.

Figure 5 is a plan view of the pulsator substantially on the section. 55 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 6 is an enlarged horizontal cross sec- .at its top in any suitable manner.

' which like numbers indicate like parts, In designates a tub or container of any desired capacity and, as here shown, cylindrical in horizontal cross section. The tub ID will be equipped for filling and emptying with washing or cleansing fluid, in conventional, well known ways.

Centrally of the tub I is a hollow post H which may be of any suitable size and which extends above the water line in the tub and is closed Mounted for reciprocation on the post H is the pulsator [2 which, as here shown, is of circular formation and made up of upper and lower plates I3 and I4, suitably secured together and holding between them a flexible flanged disk I5. This disk l5 has a flange l6 which extends horizontally outwardly beyond the outer edges of plates l3 and M. This disk may be made of rubber or any suitable flexible material. Preferably, the upper plate l3 will be arched, as shown, and provided on its upper surface with rib members ll, four being here shown, although the number may be varied in accordance with the needs of the situation.

The plates l3 and M of the disk l5 having the flange l6 constitute the pulsator which imparts current to the fluid, and it is reciprocated by any suitable mechanism to give a rising and falling movement on the post I I, the upper plate i3 being clamped against lower plate M with the flanged disk I5 held between them by means of a clamping nut l6. That mechanism, as here shown, comprises the shaft l8 carrying the disk l9 and the eccentric pin 20 to which is coupled the pitman 2|. The pitman 2i is connected by a ball and socket joint 22 with a reciprocating shaft 23 which moves upwardly and downwardly in the hollow post H. The shaft 23 is connected by a pin 24 with the hub 25 of the .pulsator, the hollow shaft ll being provided with spirally placed grooves 26 which not only permit the shaft 23 to rise and fall, but also permit it to oscillate. Preferably and, as here shown, the hub 25 and the spiral slots 26 and the Pin 24 on the shaft 23 will be housed between the upper and lower members l3 and H of the pulsator for compactness in assembly. Preferably, the operating parts of the mechanism for reciprocating the shaft 23 will be I disposed within a casing 21 coupled by a housing 21 to the bottom of the tub, suitabl sealin gaskets being interposed between housing 21 and the lower end of post II to prevent fluid leaking to housing and casing. With this construction, it will be seen that the pulsator will be reciprocated vertically and -the speed of reciprocation may be determined by the needs of the case, any suitable speed necessary for the work at hand being adopted. With the present construction it has been found that a relatively low speed of reciprocation gives satisfactory results.

- This reciprocation of the pulsator results in creating laterally moving currents, the action of the reciprocating pulsator on its up and down movements being substantially equal in both directions. These lateral currents move outwardly circumferentially of the pulsator and strike the.

' of course, yield'in opposite directions as the pultwo ways being here shown.

tion will create inward and outward currents above and below the pulsator so as to cause the fluid and the articles to be washed to move inwardly and outwardly alternately relative to the pulsator and effect a squeezing or scrubbing ac. tion in the zone of the pulsator, thus effectively agitating, cleansing, and untangling or separating the clothes.

The surf-like or whirlpool formation resulting from the surge of the laterally moving currents created by the pulsator from the wall of the tub have a tendency to mass androll together the articles of clothing and retain them in the whirlpool zone. In order to break up and overcome this whirlpool action caused by the laterally moving currents coming from the pulsator and which for convenience will be referred to as primary currents, means are provided for creating neutralizing currents, which, for convenience, will be referred to as secondary currents. This is accomplished by impartin to the pulsator rotary movement, that movement, as here shown, being an oscillating movement. This oscillation of the pulsator may be accomplished in various ways, In Figures 2, 3, 4, 6 and 7, the shaft 23 is provided with a spiral screw thread 28, which engages a complementary thread in the housing 29, so that when the shaft 23 is reciprocated by the mechanism heretofore described, this screw connection will impart an oscillating movement to the pulsator as it rises and falls. The are of oscillation may be varied as desired. It has been found that an oscillation through an arc of ninety degrees (90) gives satisfactory results. This oscillation of the pulsator takes place, of course, in different planes as the pulsator rises and falls and by reason of the ribs or fins I l on the upper surface of the plate l3 of the pulsator, currents having a general lateral direction of movement will be set up and thrown toward the tub wall. These currents will, because of the oscillations of the pulsator, alternate in different directions and the secondary currents thus created will follow an irregular or zigzag path, this action taking place in the different horizontal planes in which the pulsator is oscillated. The action of these secondary currents produced by the oscillation of the pulsator it has been found by actual demonstration, breaks up and neutralizes the surf-like or whirlpool formation of the primary currents as they surge back from the wall of the container, so as to eliminate the tendency of the clothes to mass and bunch up under the whirlpool action. Further, these primary and secondary currents combine into an upwardly directed current which, because of the opposing currents which meet near the wall of the tub, takes an irregular or wavering form upwardly through the fluid'and this irregular upwardly moving current serves to agitate, cleanse and separate the articles of clothing which will be returned inwardly of the tub and descend toward the pulsator for'further action.

In Figures 8 and 9, another mechanism for oscillating the pulsator is shown, the construction there disclosed comprising the flanged sleeve 30 attached to the tub bottom in a manner similar to the attachment of housing 27 heretofore described. Sleeve 39 carries the shaft 3i having a collar 3! pinned thereto. The sleeve has at its lower end the fork 32 in which is mounted a gear section 33 carried by the pitman 34 mounted on the pivot bearing 35 in the fork 32. The gear section 33 engages a gear wheel 36 on the shaft 3|, so that as the pitman 34 is actuated from the eccentric pin carried by the disk on the drive shaft, the gear section 33 and the gear 36 will impart to the rising and falling pulsator shaft 3| an oscillating action.

The hollow post I I on which the pulsator reciprocates and oscillates, has the further function of serving as a means for preventing the clothes descending centrally of the tub. It has been found that with a centrally disposed support of the general type of the post II the clothes will descend to the pulsator zone without massing centrally of the tub.

In Figure the modified form of pulsator mechanism is shown. In this form the pulsator supporting post is dispensed with, and the pulsator 37 is mounted directly on the reciprocating and oscillating shaft 38. Any suitable means of securing the pulsator to theshaft may be provided, but a convenient construction is shown in Figure 10, in which the lower plate 39 of the pulsator will be mounted on the shaft and rest upon a collar 40. The flexible disk 4| will then be placed in position, after which the upper arched and ribbed plate 42 will be put in place. A clamping nut 43, or equivalent device will then be detachably secured to the hub of the pulsator 37, and the parts of the pulsator clamped firmly together. The operation of the pulsator insofar as reciprocation and oscillation is concerned, will be identical with that heretofore described, exoept that in this modified form the pulsator is directly mounted on and, as here shown, keyed to the reciprocating shaft 38, instead of on a central support.

The term "washing machine" used in this disclosure is to be understood to apply to any fluid treating or manipulating apparatus and to mean any cleaning or treating mechanism.

Utilizing the apparatus disclosed herein, articles may be washed and cleaned with greater facility than with other pulsator types of washing machines, due to the fact that the currents set up in the present equipment are more effec-- tive in maintaining the articles in agitated and separated condition and massing together is eliminated. At the same time the squeezing and washing action, of the pulsator on the articles as they come within the zones of action of the pulsator is preserved.

It will be understood that the construction here shown may be varied within the limits of mechanical skill without departing from the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1, A washing machine comprising a tub having a, flat bottom, a fixed hollow post extending upwardly from said bottom at a central location in the tub, a pulsator mounted for simultaneous reciprocating and oscillating movements on the exterior of said post, said pulsator having a flat bottom surface and an arched top surface, an operating shaft extending upwardly from below the tub and into said post, means mounted below the tub to simultaneously reciprocate and oscillate said shaft, and means extending through the side wall of said post and connecting said shaft and said pulsator to impart the movements of the former to the latter; said pulsator being arranged on said post so that its fiat bottom surface closely approaches the flat bottom of the tub on its down stroke to cause a strong lat r l current of the liquid in the tank.

. 6 v 2. A construction in accordance with claim 1, wherein said post extends above the normal liquid level in the tank to thereby prevent clothes from massing centrally of the tub.

3. A construction in accordance with claim 1, wherein the top surface of the pulsator has radial upwardly extending ribs to cause currents in a general lateral direction toward the side wall of the tub, and wherein the bottom surface of the pulsator has a horizontal, outwardly extending flexible flange and creates inward and outward currents above and below the pulsator.

4. A washing machine comprising a tub having a flat bottom, a vertical operating shaft extending into said tub from below its bottom and being mounted for reciprocating and oscillating movements, a pulsator connected with said shaft and being capable of the same movements therewith, said pulsator having a flat bottom surface and an arched top surface, means mounted below the tub to simultaneously reciprocate and oscillate said shaft, said pulsator being arranged on said shaft so that its fiat bottom surface closely approaches the flat bottom of the tub on its to effect reciprocation and oscillation of said pulsator.

6. A washing machine comprising a tub having a substantially flat bottom, a fixed hollow post in said tub, a pulsator mounted for reciprocation and oscillation exteriorly of said post, said pulsator having a substantially flat bottom surface conforming to the bottom of the tub and an arched top surface, a shaft mounted for reciprocation and oscillation interiorly of said post, and means extending through the side wall of said post to couple said interiorly mounted shaft with said exteriorly mounted pulsator to effect recip rocation and oscillation of said pulsator, said pulsator being mounted so that its bottom surface closely approaches the bottom of the tank on its down stroke.

FRANKLIN V. CHENEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of-this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,161,208 Soderholm June 6, 1939 2,296,258 Breckenridge Sept. 22, 1942 1,715,036 Jamouneau May 28, 1929 1,457,483 Unruh June 19, 1923 2,088,855 Grove Aug, 3, 1937 1,543,323 Dehle June 23, 1925 1,929,747 Labisky Oct. 10, 1933 1,894,178 Kitts Jan. 10, 1933 1,990,272 Ducker Feb. 5, 1935 2,275,444 Kuhn Mar, 10, 1942 2,346,158 Dyer Apr. 11, 1944 1,695,279 Gies Dec. 18, 1928 

